Hi, writing here feels like I'm De-boarding a plane in a foreign country that I've always wanted to visit but know no one and don't have a set destination or a place to stay. It's a bit scary and exciting at the same time. Initiating a Blog when all I've used my laptop for is emails and shopping on Amazon, is a pretty big step for me. So please bear with me through my growing pains.
So what brings me here? Fate, I'd have to say. This all started a few weeks ago when a program at the gorgeous Little Haiti Cultural Center in Miami kicked off by the Florida Film Institute for teenage students. My 14 year old son is an aspiring film maker and actor. He attended their Film Maker's Camp over the Summer in the Gables and I thought it would be a terrific opportunity to continue his learning with this 18 week program. It's a bit of drive for us as we live in South Dade, but again like any good parent, I'm willing to do whatever it take to help him achieve his dreams.
His class runs about two hours and the first session I decided to bring a book, find a nice quiet corner and read. That was fine, but I couldn't help but notice the gallery images at the Cultural Center. There are some that are absolutely amazing! My favorites are by a photographer Carl Juste. His images from Haiti are beyond description. That lead me to notice this neighborhood I was standing in and that I hadn't spent any real time in all the years I have lived in Miami.
The following week I decided to bring a camera and while my son was in class, I'd walk around the area and just shoot. There's soo much color and details in this small area, it was stimulating to be able to record it and see it for the first time. It was an exciting morning for me as I felt I was seeing my own city as a tourist and realizing that this wasn't another cookie cutter Middle America neighborhood.
Upon returning to the Cultural Center, sat in the Gallery area reviewing my images and noticed a small group of what turned out to be a photography students and their instructor. That peaked my interest as I had already made a commitment to be there every Saturday morning for my son. I, then noticed someone I recognized that I had met at a photo store, a Miami Herald photographer, his name, C. W. Griffin. And I recalled seeing some of his images of Haiti years back that blew me away. So when their session let out, I decided to approach C.W. and inquire what this was about. He was warm and inviting and we chatted about the class and gear.
To my good fortune, or fate depending on your belief system, I had learned that a photography course was going on the same day and time my son's class was. A little background information on me, I studied photography back in college at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and tried my hand in the industry as an assistant for a few years in the commercial and advertising end of the business. But the pressure to earn "big money" (this was back in the '80's when greed was good) overcame me and I ventured into the business world to pursue Sales and Marketing. I was miserable but figured it was part of the growing pains.
A few years later, an opportunity presented itself to me to come down to South Florida and represent a photo accessory company. I jumped on it. This was a total change for me in soo many ways. But it turned out to be a good change. This opportunity lead to others within the photo industry as I went on to represent Leica Cameras, Hasselblad, Quantum Instruments, Lowe Pro and Manfrotto tripods. I was still in sales but at least selling gear I liked/loved! It also put me in a position to meet quite a few established photographers and see their work, along with developing my technological base of the gear and how to use and implement them. But my photography had taken a backseat to the gear. I did miss it.
So my shooting opportunities became vacation photos and of course my son. In my effort to support my son and his activities. I'd volunteer whenever I could, in whatever capacity was needed. I was never much to stand on the sidelines and watch a game. I'd rather be playing. Anyhow, getting back to my son, he wanted to do Drama. Fine by me! He really seem to connect with it. As a parent, that's exciting to witness! I'd rather he do this well and really get involved than play soccer or some other sport half-hardheartedly.
But if you follow the news and our 'robust' economy, you'll have surely seen how our schools have had their budgets slashed and most, if not all are struggling to maintain not only teachers but classes as well. These schools have become forced to make some very tough choices in allocating and directing funds. So teachers have asked for assistance in raising funds to keep certain programs alive for the kids.
That's what brings me here. I volunteered to create images of the students to help raise money for the Drama program. All the images and work related to these images were done by me and donated in my effort to support the program. Now you may be reading this and thinking what a nice gesture on my part but I must tell you that the real hero(s) in this story are the teachers in my son's school and I'm sure and other schools with similar situations. They give FAR MORE than they receive.
So this was a way for me to contribute and also do something I absolutely love to do. Make images. These images are of the Drama students at my son's school. My thought process was to keep the background clean and let their personalities come through. There was a bin with props and hats from plays they had performed in the past that I thought would be useful in letting them get 'into character'. I even got some of the parents involved.
Personally, I enjoy shooting parents with their kids. I find that they come alive with expression and their affection for their child really comes through in the images. Also kids with their friends can also make for great moments to record. They drop their guard and start relaxing.
These are a sampling of what I shot that day. It was a fun night! So now I'm part of Carl Juste's class on Saturday morning and am excited to be shooting and learning to see. I have no idea where this may lead but I do know that I want to learn, want to be there and have pondered more than a few times if a higher power played a role in putting me there.
Thanks for the opportunity!
Zeus
